1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a vehicle operation pedal, and more specifically to improvements in a vehicle operation pedal in which a pedal sheet is integrally fixed to a sheet fixed portion of a pedal arm by welding.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a vehicle operation pedal in which a pedal sheet is integrally fixed to a sheet fixed portion of a pedal arm in such a posture that a depressed face of the pedal sheet, which is depressed by a driver, faces a driver's seat. Such a vehicle operation pedal is frequently used as, for example, a brake pedal or an accelerator pedal. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-122610 (JP-A-2007-122610) describes an example of the above-described vehicle operation pedal. According to JP-A-2007-122610, a pedal arm is formed of a pair of halves having shapes obtained by dividing the pedal arm in the vehicle width direction, and peripheral portions of the pair of halves are integrally welded so that the pedal arm has a hollow structure. The pedal arm is arranged in a vehicle so as to be pivotable, at an upper end portion, about a predetermined support axis. Lower end portions of the pair of halves, to which the pedal sheet is fixed, extend apart from each other in the vehicle width direction so as to form a skirt shape, and the pair of halves are bent inward from distant end portions at substantially right angle to form sheet fixed portions. The pedal sheet is integrally fixed to the sheet fixed portions, for example, by welding.
However, the above-described existing vehicle operation pedal has the following problem. In this vehicle operation pedal, the sheet fixed portions are overlapped with a rear face of the pedal sheet and integrally fixed to the rear face, for example, by arc welding. Therefore, the presence of the pedal arm reduces the flexibility in handling of a welding device, for example, a welding torch, and limits welds. As a result, it is difficult to ensure a sufficient degree of depression rigidity of the pedal sheet.